Gaming

ABSTRACT

A gaming machine has a random percentage selection device for randomly selecting a percentage value of a jackpot amount. The gaming machine may have a plurality of random percentage selection devices for selecting a plurality of individual percentage values and a summation unit for summing the individual percentage values to provide a summed percentage value. A display means is provided for displaying the individual percentage values and the summed percentage value. The gaming machine is particularly used together with a plurality of primary slot machines. Each of the primary slot machines has a supplementary winning combination which entitles the player thereof to operate the gaming machine to try and win a part, or all of, the jackpot.

RELATED APPLICATIONS AND CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This patent application claims priority to South Africa patent application number ZA 2006/08930, filed Oct. 26, 2006.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to gaming. In particular it relates to a gaming machine, gaming apparatus and a method of gaming. The gaming machine and gaming apparatus may be real or virtual. Similarly, the gaming method may be implemented in a real casino, or virtually when participating in the game via the Internet.

SUMMARY

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a gaming machine, which includes a random percentage selection device for randomly selecting a percentage value of a jackpot amount.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the gaming machine may be of the type known as a “slot machine” or may be connected to a slot machine.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided gaming apparatus which includes:

a primary gaming machine having a selection device for selecting a plurality of winning combinations and a supplementary gaming event; and

a secondary gaming machine in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, that is activatable when the supplementary gaming event is selected by the selection device of the primary gaming machine.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method of gaming, which includes enabling a player to randomly select a percentage value of a jackpot amount.

The machine may include a plurality of random percentage selection devices for randomly selecting a plurality of percentage values and a summation unit for summing the individual percentage values to provide a summed percentage value. The payout amount corresponding to the summed percentage value of the jackpot amount may then be paid. It will be appreciated that the individual percentage values may be limited so that the sum thereof is not more than 100%, or it mat be more than 100%. The, or each, percentage value may be displayed on the machine or elsewhere. The summed percentage value may also be displayed.

A number of individual predetermined percentage values may be provided, such that specific percentage values may be selected. The amount of each predetermined value may be indicated alphabetically, numerically or by means of a symbol or picture. Instead, each value may vary, as determined by a random generator.

The gaming machine may include reels. These may be virtual or physical.

The gaming machine may be manually or automatically operable.

The gaming machine may further include a display arrangement for displaying the jackpot amount and the amount corresponding to the summed percentage value thereof.

If a person wins a percentage of a jackpot amount, a new jackpot amount may be provided, being the jackpot amount prior to the win less the amount paid. The gaming machine may thus also include a calculating facility for calculating a new jackpot amount when someone wins and is paid the percentage amount.

The jackpot amount may be a progressive amount.

A number of primary gaming machines may be associated with one secondary gaming machine. Thus, if one of the preselected supplementary gaming events is selected by any one of the primary gaming machines the secondary gaming machine is activated and the percentage value then selected by the selection device of the secondary gaming machine is paid to the player of the primary gaming machine that selected the supplementary gaming event.

The primary gaming machines may be of the “slot machine” type, with the reels thereof having preselected symbols indicative of the supplementary gaming event.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which

FIG. 1 shows schematically a secondary gaming machine in accordance with the first aspect of the invention; and

FIG. 2 shows schematically a gaming apparatus in accordance with the second aspect of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the drawings, reference numeral 10, generally refers to a secondary gaming machine in accordance with the invention, which determines the amount of a jackpot that a winner, selected in some way, wins. The secondary gaming machine 10 has five virtual reels 12.1 to 12.5. Each reel 12 has a number of regions, each of which is allocated a percentage value, that is less than or equal to 20%, such that the sum of the percentage values in randomly selected regions, as is known, in the art, will not be more than 100%. As shown the selected regions have values of “10%”, “5%”, “5”, “20%” and “8%”. The sum thereof is 48%. Instead of indicating the amount of the values numerically, symbols could be used.

A jackpot amount is shown in a window 14. In the example, the jackpot amount is R10,000. The secondary gaming machine 10 has a further window 16 in which the sum of the selected percentage values, 48%, is shown. The amount corresponding to this percentage of the jackpot value, ie R4,800, is shown in a still further window 18.

Clearly, the secondary gaming machine 10 has a summation unit 19 for summing the selected percentage values, with the sum being displayed in window 16 and a calculating facility 21 for calculating the relevant percentage amount of the jackpot value displayed in window 14, which, in turn, is displayed in window 18. The calculating facility may also calculate a new base jackpot value, being the jackpot value at the time someone wins, less the amount won. Thus, the new jackpot value will, in the example, be R5,200. This amount will then increase, if the jackpot is of the progressive type until someone wins again.

Referring to FIG. 2, gaming apparatus in accordance with the second aspect of the invention is designated generally by reference numeral 20. The apparatus 20 comprises a secondary gaming machine 10 linked to a number of primary gaming machines 22. The primary gaming machines 22 are similar to conventional slot machines. However, the primary gaming machines 22 have preselected reel regions 24 which represent supplementary gaming events and, in the event that a preselected plurality of these regions 24 is selected in a predetermined pattern, then operation of the normal game of the primary gaming machine 22 is suspended and the secondary gaming machine 10 is activated. The other primary gaming machines 22 are also rendered inactive pending finalization of operation of the secondary gaming machine 10. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the primary gaming machines 22 have interface modules 26 that are interconnected with an interface module 28 of the secondary machine 10. When the secondary gaming machine 10 is activated, it is then operated by the player of the relevant primary gaming machine 22, to determine the percentage value of the jackpot that the player will win, as described above. 

1. A gaming machine, which includes a random percentage selection device for randomly selecting a percentage value of a jackpot amount.
 2. The gaming machine claimed in claim 1, which includes a plurality of random percentage selection devices for selecting a plurality of individual percentage values and a summation unit for summing the individual percentage values to provide a summed percentage value.
 3. The gaming machine claimed in claim 2, which includes a display means for displaying the individual percentage values and the summed percentage value.
 4. The gaming machine claimed in claim 2, in which the individual percentage values are specific predetermined values.
 5. The gaming machine claimed in claim 4, in which the individual percentage values are limited such that the maximum sum thereof is 100% or less.
 6. The gaming machine claimed in claim 2, which includes a plurality of reels.
 7. The gaming machine claimed in claim 3, in which the display means also displays the jackpot amount and the amount corresponding to the summed percentage value thereof.
 8. The gaming machine claimed in claim 1, in which the jackpot is a progressive jackpot.
 9. Gaming apparatus which includes: a primary gaming machine having a selection device for selecting a plurality of winning combinations and a supplementary gaming event; and a secondary gaming machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 inclusive, that is activatable when the supplementary gaming event is selected by the selection device of the primary gaming machine.
 10. Gaming apparatus as claimed in claim 9, which includes a number of primary gaming machines associated with one secondary gaming machine, the secondary gaming machine being activatable when the supplementary gaming event is selected by the selection device of any one of the associated primary gaming machines.
 11. Gaming apparatus as claimed in claim 10, in which all the primary gaming machines are rendered inactive when the supplementary gaming event is selected by the selection device of any one of them, until the secondary gaming machine has been activated and a percentage value of the jackpot amount has been selected.
 12. A method of gaming, which includes enabling a player to randomly select a percentage value of a jackpot amount.
 13. The method claimed in claim 12, which includes paying the amount corresponding to the selected percentage value of the jackpot amount to the player.
 14. The method claimed in claim 12, in which a plurality of individual percentage values are randomly selected and the sum thereof determined.
 15. The method claimed in claim 14, in which the individual percentage values and the sum thereof are displayed.
 16. The method claimed in claim 14, in which the individual percentage values are specific predetermined values.
 17. The method claimed in claim 16, in which the individual percentage values are limited such that the maximum sum thereof is 100% or less.
 18. The method claimed in claim 14, which includes displaying the jackpot amount and the amount corresponding to the summed percentage value thereof.
 19. The method claimed in claim 12 in which the jackpot is a progressive jackpot.
 20. The method claimed in claim 12, in which the player is enabled to randomly select the percentage value of the jackpot amount if the player selects a supplementary gaming event during a primary gaming session.
 21. The method claimed in claim 20, in which the primary gaming session is performed on a primary gaming machine and selection of the percentage value of the jackpot is performed on a secondary gaming machine.
 22. The method claimed in claim 21, in which the primary gaming session is performed on any one of a number of primary gaming machines and selection of the percentage value of the jackpot is performed on a secondary gaming machine.
 23. The method claimed in claim 22, in which all the primary gaming machines are rendered inactive when the supplementary gaming event is selected by any one of them until the percentage value of the jackpot has been selected by the secondary gaming machine. 